The Price to Pay
by wild horse
Summary: Knuckles has never stopped at anything to protect the Floating Island and the Chaos Emeralds. But is betraying his best friends worth it?
1. Prologue

Title: The Price to Pay

Summary: Knuckles has never stopped at anything to protect the Floating Island and the Chaos Emeralds.  But is betraying his best friends worth it?

Reviews: Please?  Any feedback is welcome!

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Sega and whoever else owns them.  I don't get a single cent out of this.

Acknowledgements: Jesus, Padawan Nik-ka, Ginger Ninja, Orin, Chewbacca, and my sis. 

A/N: I kind of mixed the video game version of Sonic with the SATAM cartoon series, so enjoy.

Prologue:

The red echidna struggled against the metal bands that held him to the wall.  Strong though he was, he couldn't break them.  He cursed bitterly at the fat, egg-shaped figure that stood in front of him, laughing crazily.

"Ha ha ha, Knuckles the Echidna, I've got you now," the evil doctor sneered, clapping his hands in manic glee.  "You walked right into my trap."

The echidna kept silent.  He stopped struggling, and studied the mad doctor carefully.  He maintained an air of indifference.

"I see you don't seem to care.  Perhaps I should show you something." Robotnik turned to the robot seated at a control panel on his left.  "Activate the cameras," he turned back to his captive, "Enjoy."

Surprise, anger and hate flashed on the echidna's face all at once, but he quickly hid it.  He forced himself to appear calm and cold, but inside, he burned with fury.  _How dare Robotnik?_

"You see this weapon?  Well, when I complete it, it will be capable of blowing your precious Floating Island sky-high with one shot.  But before that, I'll be sure to take the Chaos Emeralds first.  Ha ha ha.  An egg-cellent idea, don't you think," Robotnik was practically dancing, obviously pleased with his own cleverness.

"You'll never manage it," the echidna snarled, unable to contain his anger anymore.  He strained against his bonds.

"Ah yes, Knuckles the Echidna, I forgot you would try to stop me.  Nevermind, I have a proposal to make.  Sort of an agreement."

"I don't make bargains with my enemies," the captive spat.

"You'll have to," the evil scientist was grinning from ear to ear, "You see, I'll spare the Chaos Emeralds and your Floating Island on one condition …"

"What?" the echidna snapped.

"Rude aren't we?  Well, bring me information on Sonic the Hedgehog, and his Freedom Fighter friends."

"Never!" the echidna's eyes burned with rage.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Robotnik was still grinning.  The echidna wanted to punch him and wipe that grin off the mad doctor's face.  "It's Sonic, or the Floating Island."

The conflict raged in the echidna's mind.  Sonic was his friend.  He couldn't betray his friends.  But he knew that if Robotnik blew up the Floating Island, the Chaos Emeralds would be scattered all over Mobius.  That was dangerous.   Worse still, if Robotnik found the hidden Emeralds, he would use them to gain power and take control over Mobius.  

"I'll do it," the echidna's voice was cold and hard.  "But you have to keep your side of the bargain."

"Of course, I will," Robotnik rubbed his hands in glee.  He pressed a button, and the metal bands released the echidna, who landed in a heap on the floor.  Doctor Robotnik handed a transmitter to Knuckles the Echidna, then watched the echidna leave.  He would get Sonic this time, Robotnik was sure of that.  

TBC…

If anyone thinks I should continue, please review.  Thanks.

                                                                        -wild horse =)


	2. Chapter 1

Title: The Price to Pay

Author: Wild horse

Summary: Knuckles has never stopped at anything to protect the Floating Island and the Chaos Emeralds.  But is betraying his best friends worth it?

Reviews: Please?  Any feedback is welcome!

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Sega, DIC and whoever else owns them.  I don't get a single cent out of this.

Acknowledgements: Jesus, Padawan Nik-ka, Ginger Ninja, Orin, Chewbacca, and my sis. 

A/N: I just realised I need to work on this fic *sheepish grin* anyway, here it is, after a long long time.

Chapter 1:

Knuckles the Echidna was walking – he didn't feel like running – the final few kilometres to Knothole Village, where Sonic and the rest of the Freedom Fighters lived.

_Now I know what it feels like to be a traitor.  _The echidna mused glumly, dreading every step that took him closer and closer to Knothole.  _And to Sonic, _he reminded himself sharply.  _Sonic will be happy to see me, and I'll have to look happy to see him too.  Knuckles winced, the next part would be hard to swallow, __and then, I'll bring him to Robotnik.  _

_Traitor._

He nearly turned and ran away, as he had almost done so many times in the last hour.

_Duty. _

He had been trained in duty.  For Knuckles the Echidna, there had never been any doubts about where his duties lay.

_Duty above everything else – even friendship._

Knuckles closed his eyes.  It was what he believed, what he'd been taught to believe.  He had never ever thought that that statement could be wrong, because it wasn't.  It just wasn't.

_Then there was loyalty…_

Knuckles ground his teeth in frustration and forcibly halted the train of thought.  He had to stop thinking so much, had to just get it done.  Done and over with.  

_The Floating Island and the Chaos Emeralds are the most important things.  Sonic is a personal friend, I can sacrifice that friendship, I can take it.  _

Why was it that he didn't seem very convinced?  Knuckles kicked at a stone on the ground, _shut up, shut up.  Just get it done!  He took a deep breath, forcing all other thoughts out of his head, except those that he would need to complete his mission.  Focusing ahead with a cold, mechanical efficiency, he knew he could get it done.  He would get it done, he had to.  For the good of Mobius._

"Sonic!"  Miles 'Tails' Prower was standing on top of the watchtower, staring fixedly into the distance.  "Sonic!"

"Yeah what?" a blue hedgehog said sleepily as he stepped out of his hut, "This had better be good."

"Sonic, it's Knuckles!"  by now, Tails was extremely excited – his twin tails were twitching wildly.

"Nice try, Tails," Sonic said irritably, "Waking me up for the fifth time and trying to pretend it's Knuckles."  Without waiting for the fox to reply, he walked back into his hut and slammed the door.

Tails jumped off the watchtower, whirling his twin tails to cushion his landing.  "Knuckles!"

The red echidna looked up – he'd been staring at the ground as if he expected to find diamonds there – and grinned.  "Hi Tails, where's Sonic?"

"Sleeping," Tails grumbled.  "He didn't believe that you were really here.  Gee, we haven't seen you in a long time Knuckles, why'd you come?"

"Ah, sometimes it gets boring when you're surrounded by trees and nothing else on an island," he forced a chuckle.

"Hey Knuckles," Sonic stepped out of his hut, again.  "For a while back there, I thought Tails was pulling my leg again.  Good to see you," Sonic shot a mock angry glare at Tails, "Why didn't you tell me you weren't kidding this time?"  He turned back to Knuckles, "Come on, we'd better go tell Sally you're here."

"So, how's life?" Sonic asked Knuckles.  The hedgehog and the echidna were sitting beside the pool after meeting with Princess Sally.

"Okay, I guess," Knuckles replied with a shrug.  "Mostly uneventful."

"That's good, isn't it?" Sonic said, "Robotnik's been leaving us alone, so there's not much to do except check on him occasionally and enjoy the break."  He grinned.  "But it's getting kinda boring, after awhile."

"Well, yeah, I suppose.  While I was on my way here, I spotted something unusual at Robotropolis," Knuckles broached the subject fluently, forcing himself to speak as normally as possible, "Want to check it out together later?" 

"Why not?" Sonic brightened up noticeably at the prospect.  "I hate sitting around when I know that egg-obsessed maniac is hatching – no pun intended – some evil plot up there."

The echidna responded by grinning a little.

Sonic arched an eyebrow, noticing the slight uneasiness that Knuckles displayed, but ignoring it, "I'm going to help Tails out with his project; he's trying to build a biplane.  Wanna help?"

Knuckles shrugged, "Nah, I'm tired, I guess I'll go and take a nap."

"Well, suit yourself then," Sonic got up to go, "I'll see you later." 

He waited until Sonic was out of sight, then he strode off into the forest.  When he was sure that he was far enough from Knothole, the red echidna pulled the transmitter out of his backpack, then dialled in the correct frequency.  Moments later, a maniacal voice crackled over the radio, "Dr Robotnik here."

"This is Knuckles the echidna.  I'm bringing Sonic over to Robotropolis within the next day or two."

"Good, yes, good, very good," Knuckles could hear the mad Doctor sniggering away gleefully, "I will be looking forward to it.  Bring him over to section 9.  My forces will be waiting there."

Knuckles flinched involuntarily, then growled into the transmitter, "How do I know you'll keep your side of the bargain?"

"Don't worry, I will," there was more maniacal laughter.  "You take care of Sonic the Hedgehog first."

"I'll see to it.  Knuckles out," he ended the transmission abruptly, not waiting for Robotnik to acknowledge.  

Placing the transmitter back in his backpack, the echidna headed back for Knothole.

"Knuckles!"  Sonic's voice almost made Knuckles jump, but he exercised self-control.  "I thought you said you were going to take a nap."

Knuckles shrugged, "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk instead."

"Suit yourself, anyway, I told Sal about the Robotropolis thing, and she said we could go tomorrow.  That fine with you?"  Sonic glanced at Knuckles, and noticed that the echidna was frowning.  "Knux?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," he answered hastily.  

"Are you alright?" Sonic asked with concern.

Knuckles silently cursed himself, Sonic was making things very difficult for him, "Yeah, I'm okay, just a little tired, I guess."

"Sleep well tonight, then."  Sonic said matter-of-factly, still puzzled by the echidna's strange behaviour.

Knuckles nodded.  _Yeah right, I will.  He knew he'd be lucky if he even managed to get to sleep tonight.  Tomorrow… he didn't want to think about it._


End file.
